I just purchased a 2003 F-150 Supercrew FX4 with a 5.4 engine. I have been researching the K&N drop in filter and found that some people like them and others say they don't work. Will I see any benefits from using this filter? Thanks for your help.

 

I have never heard anyone say that they don't work. The only people with anything negative to say about them are people selling a competing product.

I am going to get one myself very soon (got a gift card for PepBoys for Christmas ).

Again, I have never heard bad press from an unbiased source about the K&N.

 

There was nothing I found negative about the K&N filter when I researched it before I purchased one. I pressed the "I believe button" based on this. I'm a happy owner of one, I think.

 

I have seen a few posts where memebers complain of a loose fit of the drop in K&N element.

Some used Foam tape I think to seal it completly.

Word to the wise, just get the FIPK, don't waste your time with the drop in filter.

No matter how good the filter, or the fit of the filter, that ~2" hole is still achoke point in the system, and unless you open it up, there will not be a whole lot of change to the intake.

 

I had a K&N in my Mustang. I have no complaints at all and will definitely get the K&N FIPK soon for my SCREW.

 

The oil in the K&N can foul your MAF sensor but it's easy to clean if it does.

 

What is the FIPK and what is the MAF sensor?

Sorry for the basic questions, but . . . I don't know these acronyms.

Tom

 

The Mass Air Flow sensor is located on the engine side of the stock air filter housing. It's the little wires inside the offset "barrel" in the picture.

 

If you over oil the filter it cancause problems with the MAFS.
If you take it easy on the re-oiling of the filter you will not have a problem with it.

 

The info from K&N says to only clean it every 40-50K miles. How often do people really clean them? Seems like much more often....

 

The FIPK is better but cost more, it will allow more air flow into your engine.

The Mass Air Flow Sensor is a thin wire that has a controled amount of electricity flowing though it basically causing it to get hot. As air flows over it, the wire will cool down. The sensor will then measure the tempature of the wire (resistance) and that will tell the computer how much air is coming in and when the air is cooler (cooler air is denser and will contain more oxegen than warmer air) then even if the air flow is the same, it will still cool the wire down more.

If oil or any other contaminates get on this wire then it will stay warmer (insulation) and will be telling your computer the wrong information.

You should clean your filter based upon several things, I have cleaned mine for the fist time around 30K miles, but I go offroading, so look at it, and every once in a while use a brush and lightly brush the dirt on the outside of the elemnet (NEVER USE COMPRESSED AIR, it will force the dirt in side the element and damage the element as well). The way it works is by having a cotton gause in between a wire mesh (inside and out). The cotton will allow a greater ail flow because it has larger pores than a paper filter, but because it has larger pores it needs the oil to keep the smaller dust from getting in the engine. The oil will trap the dust and hold on to it (sticky) and eventually it will get to the point that it can't hold any more and the air flow will lessen.

To clean the filter you use a degreaser (found in the K&N kit also you can get more at most stores that sell the filters) soak it and then hose the filter out gently from the inside so that the dirt will be forced outward. Then you need to reoil it.

When you clean your K&N or any other oil embeded filter, don't over oil it, the oil has a red dye so that you just need to get enough oil to make sure the entire element is red with no white/pink spots.

K&N has been selling these filters for quite some time now and I really have not heard any compaints, everyone in my family uses the drop-ins and I opted for the FIPK.

You will not see the benifits of this filter in the lower RPMs, just in the higher RPMs, epspecially if you get a cat-back too (lets that extra air out easier) Baiscally at higher RPMs the engin is going to demand more air and the less resistance in the filter will allow it to "breath" easier. In turn yes you will burn more gas faster at the higer RPMs but you will produce more power, so this is more of a performance mod than a fuel economy mod.

Go to http://www.knfilters.com for more info and how they work.

No I don't work for them, just posting info that I have learned from both reading and experience.

 

I had a drop in in my Lightning. I cut the bottom off of the air box to help with flow. There have been alot of people that see little if any difference between that and the FIPK.

I know that the stock airbox is designed to flow pretty good (at least the top portion). By cutting the bottom you get that flow coupled with more circulation. That is what I intend to do, although it isn't for someone that is afraid of cutting up their new truck (I have an '03 Supecrew FX4 with 100 miles)


Jerry

 

FIPK is Fuel Injection Performance Kit. It replaces the whole air intake tube from the throttle body on. Don't know how much better it is than just a filter replacement but I went with it and I'm pretty happy with it.

 

I've been a big believer in K&N Products for close to 13 or 14 years (late 80's) when I put one in my first Mustang. Everybody has pretty much covered the bad stuff concerning over oiling. What I find interesting is the positive comments about the FIPK.

I haven't seen the one for the F-150's so I'm not fully informed. But I can say that the one's for the Mustang's are not worth the money for what they offer. Way overpriced and it leaves you with an exposed filter element that sucks up hot engine air in a Mustang engine compartment.

Can anyone post up pictures of one for a 5.4 SuperCrew? I bought my K&N Drop In Filter used so if the FIPK is a real big difference performance wise I wouldn't be out to much and I could always sell mine for what I bought it for.

 

I've had both the drop-in oem replacment K&N and now the K&N FIPK II. I am happy with the company, plus you get a lifetime warrenty on defective parts. Both have worked just fine for me.